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Tuesday, May 6, 2014

ILLEGAL SLAUGHTERHOUSE YIELDS ARREST

The Miami-Dade State Attorney’s Office
and the Miami-Dade Police Department have undertaken an action that has led to
the arrest of Raul Fernandez a/k/a “Freaky”, the prime operator of an illegal
slaughterhouse located in unincorporated Miami-Dade County.

The Miami-Dade State Attorney’s Office and the
Miami-Dade Police Department became aware of a site operating within Miami-Dade
County that was illegally slaughtering animals, and was doing so in a cruel and
painful manner. Undercover videos were taken on December 24, 2013 and on
December 30, 2013. Witnesses to these incidents saw the shooting, stabbing,
gutting while alive of animals, beating, sledge-hammering to the head, dragging
by mouth, and other cruel behavior to which the animals were subjected. On video
surveillance, a pig can be seen being dragged, hook-mouthed through the jaw, at
distances of approximately 150 feet, all while the animal remained alive. Raul Fernandez is charged with 7 counts of
Animal Cruelty which are third degree felonies.
The
investigation of this case continues.

“When the Florida Legislature created
the animal cruelty statute, they intended to end such brutal activities as were
occurring at this illegal slaughterhouse,” commented Miami-Dade State Attorney
Katherine Fernandez Rundle. “No
legitimate slaughterhouse operator or any self-respecting farmer would treat
his livestock in such a ghastly manner.”